The Physics of Monty Python and The Holy Grail

Investigated by Donovan Chambers

Our story begins at historic Doune Castle…

Our heroes are looking for The Holy Grail because God told them to…

So they asked the Frenchman…

He was not very nice…

So King Arthur ask asked again, very politely…

This time, not only was The Frenchman rude, but his friends were as well…

Then the villains do something horrible…

Worse than calling Sir Arthur’s Mother a hamster…

=

They threw a cow at our heroes :o …

Naturally they ran…

But not fast enough.

Could this guy have survived this impact? Even only for a moment like in the movie?

Things we know…

• The castle tower is 95 ft tall and on a hill• The cow weighs about 500 kg• The cow is in the air for 5 seconds• Our heroes are about 500 ft from the castle

Δy = vyo*t - ½*a*t

Δy = -125 ft

t = 5 seconds

a = -9.8 m/s²

-125 = 5*vyo - ½*-9.8*5

-100.5 / 5 = vyo

vyo = 20.1 m/s

Δx = vxo*t - ½*a*tΔx = 500 ftt = 5 secondsa = 0 m/s²500 = 5*vxo - ½*-0*5500/ 5 = vxo

vxo = 100 m/s

vxo² + vyo² = vo²

100² + 20.1² = vo²

102 m/s = vo

vy = vyo + a * t

vy = 20.1 + (-9.8) * 5

vy = -28.9 m/s

vx² + vy² = v²100² + (-28.9)² = v²v = 104.09 m/s

p = m * vp = 500 * 104.09p = 52046.2 kg * m/s

52046.2 kg * m/s is A LOT of momentum!

It would be like getting hit by a Honda Civic going 97.6 mph

Which means this poor guy would have died.